Recording instrument



Patented Feb. 9, 1926.

' UNITED STATES 1,572,207 PATENT oFFICE;

EDWIN HODGKINSON, OF ROQHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO TAYLOR COMPANIES, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

Application filed-November 12, 1921. Serial No. 514,505.

To'asZZ whom t may cof/wem.'

Be it known that I, EDWIN HoDGKINsoN, of Rochesterin the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Recording Instruments; and I o hereby declare the following to be a ful clear, and enact description of the same, reference belng had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference numerals marked thereon.

This invention relates to recording instruments, and, more particularly, to those 1n which a' recording vsurface is driven by a l5 timing mechanism,'in cooperation with a movable marking element responsive to the conditions to be recorded, such, for example, as the temperature or pressure recording instruments well known in the art. -One object of the invention is to provide such an instrument havin a yieldable driving connectionl between t e timing mechanism and 'the recording surface, so that the latter may be readily shlfted in position, independently i of the timing mechanism, 'and without removal from the latter, to bring any portion of its surface under the recording element, as convenient for registering the element with'any'desired time lndicia on the surface.

..30 In some instruments of this type the indicating surface is so arranged that it `covers and obstructs the stem or other winding means for the timing mechanism and requlres removal whenever the latter is wound.

come this diiiculty by providing the yieldably supported recording surface with an opening arranged to be brought opposite the winding stem to afford access to the latter by adjustment of the surface as described.-

Still a further object is to provide a simple and practical construction affording the above and other advantages, the parts of 4: 5 which do not require detachment in o era- Another object of the invention is to over-- chart holder.

of a recording apparatus having the invention applied thereto; Figure 2 is an enlarged central sectional elevation of parts shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan View of the central portion of the supporting means 6o for the recording surface; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 1a-4 of Figure 1. I

Similar reference numerals ftheroughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The embodiment of the invention selected for the purposes of the present disclosure shows the same as applied to av temperature or pressure recordlng instrument of the well known variety comprising a chart holding disc rotated by a timing mechanism in cooperation with a marking element responsive to conditions to be recorded for producing a continuous record over a given period of time, such, for example, as the type of instrument disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,063,349 granted June 3, 1913, for Indicator and recorder. Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown at 5, Figures 1 and 2, a supporting means or plate in 80 the form of a circular disc provided about its periphery with keepers or fingers 6 for holding on the disc the circular. recording surface or chart 7, according to a common form of arrangement. The chart supporting disc in the present instance, however, is formed centrally with a cylindrical projection, or boss 8, adapted to be received in the usual central opening 9 of a chart disc to c center the latter. In addition `the chart holder has projecting upwardly therefromA on opposite sides a pair of pointed ears 10 adapted to pierce the chart and hold the f sameagainst rotation relative to the holder. This construction admits 'of the applica- 95 tion of a chart to the holder quickly and conveniently and provides effective support for the same in o eration.

The chart olding disc is supported from below by a circular plate 11 preferably 100 formed of sheet metal in the shape illustrated. That is to say, this plate is provided with a rearwardly .projecting annular surface 12 forming one of the frctionally engaging elements employed to drive the The chart holding ears 10 already described are struck up adjacent the periphery of plate 11 and inserted through slots in the chart disc 5, and t e latter has similar ears 13 struck rearwardly therefrom and passed through slots in plate 11, so that the chart holder and the plate 11 are thus securely fastened together.

PlateI 11 has a central circular opening 14 the periphery of `which is in bearing engagement with a sleeve 15 carried by a spindle 16 extending from the timing mechanlsm described hereafter. Sleeve 15 is formed With a shoulder 17, the rear side of which engages late 11and the periphery of which engages t e innen walls of boss 8 of ,the chart holder. Sleeve 15 is preferably fixed to the timing mechanism spindle 16 as by means of a pin 18, and it is evident that the chart' holden and its plate 11 are thus prevented from moving outwardly longitudinally of the sleeve and spindle, but are centered by the latter, having an accurate fit thereon suiiiciently loose, however, to permit the chart holder to be freely rotated relatively to thev sleeve.

-tatably supported on a The timing mechanism, or clock, indicated3 generally at 19, Figure 1, may have any usual or suitable construction well known in the art and'therefo're requires no detailed description. This part of the mechanism` is supported in a frame indicated generally at 20 and is driven by a motor spring 21 Wound by a key ittedto its stem 22. The timing train rotates a terminal art or gear 23 roearing formed at the inner end of sleeve 15. This gear carries a frictional element cooperating with thean'- nular frictional surface 12 on th`e chart holder, forl yieldably driving the latter. In the present instance this frictional element is in the form of a device stamped up from resilient sheet metal and` comprising a een? tral ring' portion 24 rot-atablyreceived on sleeve 15 and secured to gear 2,3 as by means of rivets 25. Ring '24 carries a plurality of resilient lingersv 26 shaped as shown to form frlctional surfaces for engagement with the annular surface 12 of the chart holder. The

parts Iare so assembled that the resilient Ilingers 26 are laced under suiiicient tension to4 maintain t e desired frictional pressure a ainst the cooperating surface 12. Prefer,- a ly a disc 27 of fiber board, or any other suitable material, vis carriedon -sleeve 15 so as to extend between the frictional surface 12 and fingers 26 to im rove the frictional action. By means of t is construction the gear k23 driven b the time train is provided with a yie dable driving connection wlth the chart holder, adapted to transmit sufficient force for operating the latter. The frictlonal engagement is such, however, that the chart holder ma be readilyadjustedor rotated by hand in ependently ofthe timing mechanism,'pthrough slippa e between the frictional elements, so that w en a charty is initially placed on the holder, or at any other time, thelatter may be conveniently rotated by hand to bri-ng any portion of the chart bearing any given time indicia under the markin element. This it is to be noted v and lost.

The manual adjustment ofthe chart holder ma be accomplished by grasping the,

edges of t e same, but as the latter are not alwaysv accessibly spaced from the instrument casing, thecentral boss 8 is made of suicient size to be rasped by the hand for this purpose. Pre erably, however,l boss 8 carries an angular post 28 with which a key may be conveniently engaged to adjustlthe chart.

The chart disk extends over the winding stem 22 of the time train,'as.is frequently desirable to obtain compactness in instruments of the variety, and the holder is therefore rovided with an opening 29 located so that 1t may be brought by rotation of the holder into re istry with the winding stem. A winding through the opening to wind the clock without requiring the removal of any of the parts vof the apparatus. J

`In operation a used hart may be quickly removed from the holder and a new chart convenientl and securely fastenedthereon portion of the chart vunder the marking element, andthe timing meehanismI then rotates the chart to make a continuous record,

las usual in instruments of this ty e. When means,yor the chart' holder the timing mechanism requires to ewound, 4

all that is necessary is to locate the shart holder, with the chart removed to bring the opening 29 over the windin stem. As apparent from the drawin is simple, durable and re iable'in character.

t e construction There are no detachable parts to be misplaced or lost and the chart holder may be adjusted at any time by simply turning the a frictional surface secured to said disk, and

an element having a cooperating 'frictional surface drivenby said train one of said elements being formed of resilient metal for maintaining enga ement with the other to Vsame by hand without adjusting any securles' provide a yieldah e driving connection for said chart disk.'

2. In a recording apparatus, the combinarotatable on said spind e, retaining means for holding said disk against movement in supporting disk rotatably supported on the one direction longitudinally of the spindle, a part rotated by said train and elements secured to said part and disk in rictional engagement with each other and forming a yieldable driving connection for said disk.

3. In a recording apparatus, the combination of a time train, a member rotated thereby, and a ratatably supported chart holder, said member and disk being provided with an annular frictional element on one and a plurality of spring fingers on the other coo erating with said element to orlm a yielda le driving connection for said 4. In a recording apparatus, the combination of a time train having a spindle, a chart spindle, an annular-Ufrictional surface on said disk, a member rotated by the. time train, and a frictional element of resilient metal fixed on said member and pressing against said annular surface to form a yieldable driving connection betweenl said train and disk.

5. In a recording apparatus, a rotatably supported chart holding disk, a time train,

^a part rotated'by said train, cooperating frictional elements on said disk and part provided with means for maintaining them in engagement With each other to form a yieldable driving connection between said disk and train, and a device'on the disk registering with the central opening of a chart for rotatably adjusting the disk independently of the time train.

EDWIN HODGKINSON. 

